Culture and fun. Kingston’s second annual African-American Cultural Festival. Sunday, August 28, 12 to 6 p.m. at Harambee, Downtown on the Strand, Kingston. Food, music, dancing and more to celebrate African-American culture of the Hudson Valley and beyond.
— Elizabeth’s pick
Stunning views and local crafts. Phoenicia Flea: A Summer Market at OLANA
Saturday & Sunday, August 27 & 28, 11a.m. to 5 p.m. A nomadic market of makers and merchants from the Catskills, the Hudson Valley and beyond will be setting up shop at Olana this weekend. Stop by for a walk along Olana’s historic carriage roads and enjoy stellar views as you shop. This free market will take place rain or shine. The Olana Partnership will be collecting suggested donations of $5/per person to support their work and mission to inspire the public by preserving and interpreting Frederic Church’s Olana. To learn more about this event, email education@olana.org or go to https://www.eastwestexperiential.com/phoenicia-flea to find out everywhere that Phoenicia Flea will be going this season.
— Pam’s pick
Mysterious, whimsical and ethereal. WSW Candle Mountain trio opens Thursday, August 25, 7 p.m., Store Space, 84 Hone Street in Kingston. An art show consisting of prints on paper, fabric, handmade books and installation by Eliza Clifford, Hannah Moog and Judith Tong called “Meeting at Candle Mountain”. The three artists spent nine months living and working at the Woman’s Studio Workshop, founded in 1974. RSVP, please, to 845-658-9133. Show open three nights only.
—.Geddy’s pick
Travel back in time. New York Renaissance Faire opening weekend. August 27- October 9 on Saturdays, Sundays and Labor Day, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., 600 Route 17A, Tuxedo. Travel back in time to an age of adventure! Join Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth I on a grand visit to a beautiful 16th-century English village. Cheer your favorite knight at the Joust Tournament. Meet Robin Hood and his Merry Band. Feast on savory sweets and tempting treats. See amazing acrobats, magical fairies, swashbuckling pirates and more! Play a game of skill or chance. Stroll our quaint village as the music of the Renaissance surrounds you. Shop the Marketplace, featuring over 100 Artisans offering the finest in handmade wares. For more information go to: https://renfair.com/ny/.
— Fran’s pick
Classical music in a classic setting. Annual Chamber Orchestra Concert at Maverick Concert Hall, 120 Maverick Road, Woodstock, August 17, 6-8 p.m. The evening opens with Alan Shulman’s Theme and Variations, for viola, strings and harp. Alan Shulman, cellist in the NBC Symphony and one of the great spirits of the Maverick for many years, was also a composer and this is his masterpiece. Belarus émigré Yevgeny Kutik, fresh from his concerto appearance with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, makes his Maverick debut in a special concerto version of the Dmitri Shostakovich 1968 Violin Sonata, as made famous in recent years by Gidon Kremer. The program closes with the beloved Tchaikovsky’s Elegy in G; Serenade for Strings. For more information go to https://maverickconcerts.org/.
— Genia’s pick
Reflect on our history. Land, Liberty, Loss: Echoes of the American Revolution at West Hurley Public Library, 42 Clove Street, West Hurley. Session 1 on Monday, August 29, 7-9 p.m. There are four sessions in total. Community reading and discussion program with guest speakers. Explore a lost and hidden history still affecting us today. For more information call 845-417-8384 or go to: www.overlookmountain.org.
— Lynn’s pick
The cool side of nature. Ferns of the Forest at John Burroughs Nature Sanctuary, 261 Floyd Ackert Road, West Park. Saturday, August 27 at 10 a.m. Escape the heat in our forest of ferns and explore the world of ferns that fill both small nooks and valley floors with a summer lightness and elegance at the Nature Sanctuary. Join Lynn Bowdery and learn the intricate parts of ferns and how to distinguish between Lady and Marginal ferns, Polypodies and Christmas ferns, Cinnamon and Ostrich. Register at info@johnburroughsassociation.org for meeting spot. Space is limited.
— Abigail’s pick
The key to good music. Pianists in the Mountains presented by Catskill Mountain Foundation, Doctorow Center for the Arts, 7971 Main Street, Hunter from August 24-28, nightly at 7:30 p.m. This unique one-week residency, led by world-renowned pianists and educators, Dr. Joanne Polk https://joannepolkpianist.com/ and Dr. Inesa Sinkevych https://www.inesasinkevych.com/, will focus on unusual repertoire for the piano. Nightly student recitals are free. Visit https://pianistsinthemountains.com/ and catskillmtn.org for tickets and more information.
— Joe’s pick
Animals among us. Forsyth Nature Center, 125 Lucas Avenue Extension, Kingston. Open seven days a week from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. HV1 writer Jeremiah says, “Among the Kingston area’s best-kept and happiest secrets is the Forsyth Nature Center. I discovered it some years ago in my role as a near-desperate grandfather. The child (nor grandparent) hasn’t been born who‘s not found something fascinating about the place. This “pocket park” has a history going back to 1936. In its modest way, it resembles what bigger, old-style zoos once claimed they believed in. The Nature Center emphasizes education and understanding for kids who have never seen or had contact with seemingly “ordinary” creatures — tortoises, steer, peacocks. It can be as much fun to watch kids discover these creatures as it is to watch the creatures as well. Over the years, it’s kept a low profile that belies its value and thoughtful care for its animals.” The Forsyth Nature Center is free to visit but donations are gratefully accepted. For programming information, call ahead: 845-339-3053 or go to http://www.forsythnaturecenter.org/.
— Jeremiah’s pick
Life isn’t fair or is it? Dutchess County Fair, 6550 Spring Brook Avenue
Rhinebeck. August 23-28, Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Rides, food, music and lots and lots of farm animals! Children 11 and under are free. Go to the website for a list of events and cost of tickets: https://www.dutchessfair.com/the-fair/.
— Angela’s pick
Join the family! 
